Pivoted latching for finger rings mounted in blind pivot openings



Oct. 15, 1957 J. KARLAN 2,809,502 PIVOTED LATCHING FOR FINGER RINGS MOUNTED IN BLIND PIVOT OPENINGS Filed Aug. 1, 1956 14 J7 I l Jina 16 J N V EN TOR.

51/395. y 17: Karla-"n.

United States Patent PIVOTED LATCHING FOR FINGER RINGS I MOUNTEDWIN BLIND PIVOT OPENINGS Jacob Karlan, Mount Vernon, N. Y. Application August 1,1956, Serial No. 601,469

1 Claim. (c1. 63-153) My invention relates to means for interlocking detachably two rings, such as an engagement and a wedding ring, to be worn on the same finger without discomfort and without becoming separated.

An object of the invention is to provide latching means adapted to swing in and out of a ring through an angle of about 180.

Another object is to provide a unit formed by a latch and a holder therefor preassembled to permit the latch to swing through an angle of about 180 in the holder.

A further object is to secure the unit in a ring so that the latch is adapted to extend into the ring to be contiguous with the inner annular periphery of the ring.

ln the appended drawing forming part of the application;

Fig. 1 is a wedding ring in elevation magnified four times embodying my latch;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the setting from the annular periphery thereof being coupled to or uncoupled from the crown of an engagement ring;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the crown further magnified with the latch unit removed;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the latch folded into the crown;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the latch further magnified;

Fig. 6 shows the way the latch and holder are assembled; and

Figure 7 is a section on line 7--7, Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, a ring 10 having a hollow setting 11 is provided with a rectangular recess 12 extending through a side wall 13 of the setting 11 substantially at the middle of the setting (see Figs. 2 and 4). The side wall 14 of the setting 11 is spaced from the side wall 13 and has a rectangular notch 15 opposite of and in alignment with the recess 12. The depth and width of the notch 15 is substantially equal to the end portion 16 of a latch 17.

The latch 17 has a thickened body portion 18 which has outwardly tapering trunnions 19 on the opposite sides thereof near the end remote from the end of the portion 16 of the latch. The two portions 16 and 18 of the latch are substantially of the same length but of different thickness. Said portion 16 has slightly tapered notches 20 in its sides near its end.

An elongated plate 21 has two spaced apart blind flaring recesses or sockets 22 adapted to engage the corresponding trunnions 19 of the latch 17. The engagement is made by bending the ends 23 of the plate in a fixture to an angle of about 45 as shown to the right of Fig. 6 in dash and dot lines. This bending of the ends 23 permits the introduction of the trunnions 19 into adjacent sockets 22 as shown to the right of Fig. 6. The bend of the ends 23 of the plate 21 is then completed with the trunnions 19 fully engaging the sockets 22 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The holder 24 formed from the plate 21 is U-shaped having substantially 90 angles.

"ice

The latch 17 and the holder 24 form a unit in which the latch swings through an angle of about 180. The

, width of the holder is substantially equal to the thickness of the side wall 13 in the setting 11 and the width of the recess 12 in said wall 13 is substantially equal to the widthof the holder 24. The holder 24 is fitted into the recess 12 with the bottom of the U-shaped holder lying at the bottom of recess 12 and the sides of the U contacting the sides of the recess with thelatch extending into the setting to engage the rectangular notch 15. This engagement of the holder with the setting provides relatively large areas of contact, whereby good anchorage for the latching means in the setting is obtained. The U-shaped holder is then soldered within the recess 12 without any risk of interfering with the pivotal connec tion of the latch in the U-shaped holder since the sockets 22 in the U-shaped holder are blind.

When the end portion 16 is engaged in the rectangular notch 15, the latch is contiguous with the annular periphery of the setting and the end of the portion 18 of the latch is flush with the proximate side of the setting.

To couple a crown 25 of an engagement ring 26 to a wedding ring provided with the latch described, the crown is provided with openings 27 on opposite sides (see Fig. 2). The sides of the crown having the openings 27 are on the same sides as the sides of the engagement ring. Said openings 27 have a vertical extension to permit the end 16 of the latch 17 to enter therethrough. The lateral width of said openings 27 is substantially equal to the width of the latch between the bottoms of tapered notches 20. In engaging the notches of the latch with the lateral width of the openings 27, the two rings are in alignment and coupled, being prevented from separation by the shoulder of tapered notches 20. To engage or disengage the rings, the two rings must be at an angle of In Fig. 5 the end 18 of the latch 17 shows a semicircle in reality at its true size which is sixteen times less than what is shown; the curvature is only at the corners; the necessary play for turning the latch with the rounded corners is provided by the tapers of the trunnions 19 in engagement with the corresponding blind sockets 22. The flat surface at the end of portion 18 is maintained flush with the adjacent outer surface of the said wall 13 of the setting by the engagement of the end 16 with the abutting surface of the rectangular recess 15.

Although the drawing and description place the blind sockets in the sides of the holder and the trunnions on the latch; the reversal of the position of the trunnions and sockets with respect to the holder and latch will not change the function of the latch unit. The trunnions may be formed on the inner faces of the U sides by pressing out metal from the outside of the U side; the blind sockets being formed in the sides of the latch to cooperate with the trunnions in the holder.

The latching means comprising the holder and the latch when assembled form a unit, which unit can be supplied as findings to finger ring manufacturers as a latching unit.

I claim:

The combination of a finger ring having a hollow setting with a latch unit comprising a U-shaped holder flat at the bottom with a blind socket on either face of each arm of the U holder near the bottom thereof accessible only from the inside of the U holder, and a rectangularly shaped latch having a trunnion on each side near one end thereof engaging the proximate. socket of the U holder, the sides of the latch fitting the sides of the U holder, said latch swinging in the U holder through an of, said U holder fitting the said recess of the setting with the flat bottom thereof contacting the bottom of the recess and the sides of the Us holder engaging the proximate. sides of the recess inthe setting, and wherein the ment of the swinging end of the latch with the notch makes the proximate surface of the latch contiguous with the inner annular periphery of the setting, the swinging end of the latch having means for coupling detachably U holder is soldered to, the setting with the latch free 5 another ring thereto.

to swing in theholder in and out'of the setting as the blind sockets prevent the solder to enter into the said sockets and freeze thetrunnions therein, said setting having a notch. opposite the recess for the U-shaped holder and inalignment therewith, said notch being accessible 10 to the swinging end of the latch when it is moved into the inner annular periphery of the setting, the engage- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS 2,162,820 Morehouse June 20, 1939 2,507,348 Peterson et ale May 9, 1950 2,522,954 Manne Sept. 19, 1950 2,615,313 Schaefier Oct. 28, 1952 

